1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and a system for transcribing dictated material recorded on a continuous recording medium and, more particularly, to a method of and a system for transcribing dictated material from a continuous recording medium such as tape which is transferred from a first location or zone to a second location or zone as dictated material is transcribed from the recording medium and which is then transferred from the second location or zone to be reused for the recording of dictated material.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Dictation-transcription systems in which a continuous recording medium such as tape is transferred from a first location or zone to a second location or zone as dictated material is recorded on the recording medium and in which the medium is transferred from the second location or zone to the first location or zone as the dictated material is transcribed from the recording medium are well-known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,320 issued on Mar. 6, 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,791 issued on Sept. 16, 1969 each disclose a dictation-transcription system in which a continuous tape is transferred from a first bin to a second bin as dictated material is recorded thereon, and transferred from the second bin back to the first bin as the dictated material is transcribed. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,818 issued Aug. 3, 1971 discloses a dictation-transcription system in which a continuous tape is transferred from a first zone to a second zone within a single bin as dictated material is recorded thereon, and transferred from the second zone to the first zone within the same bin as dictated material is transcribed from the continuous tape.
In prior art dictation-transcription systems of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patents, units of dictated material are recorded on the continuous tape in sequence and the units of dictation become available for transcribing in the same sequence. However, most of these prior art dictation-transcription systems have a fast forward control which will enable the continuous tape to be transferred past the transcribing station at a relatively high rate of speed so that a particular priority unit of dictation recorded on the continuous tape may be located and transcribed prior to the transcribing of other units of dictation.
The problem encountered with these prior art dictation-transcription systems when it is desired to transcribe a particular unit of dictation from among other units of dictation on a priority basis is that a substantial portion of the continuous tape carrying dictated material which has not yet been transcribed may have been transferred into the location or zone from which it is withdrawn for the recording of new dictation. Thus, dictated material which has not yet been transcribed at the transcribing station may be obliterated by newly dictated material if it has been transferred to the pre-dictation zone in order to reach a later unit in the sequence for priority transcribing.